South Carolina Senate debate scrapped after virus testing fight

Source: Politico | October 9, 2020 | James Arkin

Democrat Jaime Harrison called for GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham to be tested for coronavirus before they debated Friday night, but Graham balked at the demand.

The second debate in the suddenly red-hot South Carolina Senate race was abruptly canceled Friday over disagreement about whether three-term GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham should be tested for the coronavirus before appearing on stage in close proximity with his Democratic challenger, Jaime Harrison.

Instead of sharing the stage as they did last week, the two candidates traded one-sided shots in separate, 30-minute interviews with the moderators.

Harrison said it would not be responsible to debate Graham if the senator declined to take a coronavirus test after potential exposure from other Republican senators who have tested positive for the virus. During the debate-turned-candidate forum, he said that as someone who has a pre-existing condition, he wanted “leaders to actually lead by example.”

“The president of the United States has been out of pocket because he has the coronavirus,” Harrison said, in response to questions from the panel of moderators. “Sen. Graham said that folks want special treatment. Nobody is asking for special treatment. What we’re asking for is our senior senator to take this seriously.”

Graham, indeed, accused Harrison of seeking special treatment by demanding that all participants test negative for the virus prior to debating. The Republican senator argued most South Carolinians go to work and interact with individuals who have not been tested, and he said he had been told by his doctor he would be compliant with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control even if he did not take a test.

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